Effect of spent cotton stalks on color removal and chemical oxygen demand lowering in olive oil mill wastewater by white rot fungi

Wastewater from olive oil mill was decolorized (and its chemical oxygen demand reduced in static cultivation) using the fungiCoriolus versicolor, Funalia trogii, Phanerochœte chrysosporium andPleurotus sajor-caju. The effect of cotton stalk on decolorizing and COD removing capability was demonstrated.P. chrysosporium (in 20% medium with cotton stalk) reduced the COD by 48% and color by 58%,F. trogii (in 30% medium with cotton stalk) by 51 and 55%, respectively.     

Serum selenium and gluthathione-peroxidase activities and their interaction with toxic metals in dialysis and renal transplantation patients

Selenium, aluminum, cadmium, and magnesium concentrations and gluthathione-peroxidase activities in sera of 35 healthy individuals, 30 renal transplants, and 30 hemodialysis patients were measured. Serum selenium, aluminum, and cadmium concentrations in both groups of patients were higher than the controls (p<0.001), whereas the serum gluthathione-peroxidase levels were lower (p<0.001). According to our results, it can be concluded that the patients receiving hemodialysis are subjected to more toxic elements than the transplantation patients. These findings imply that dietary selenium supplement may be suggested in renal failure for the detoxification of elements, such as cadmium and mercury. The essential trace element selenium takes part not only in the direct protection of endothelial cells against the accumulation of aggressive oxygen species, but also in the preventions of the toxic effects of cadmium or in the modulation of the active calcium transport.     

Ethnobotancal studies in the villages of the district of Ilica (province erzurum), Turkey

An ethnobotanical survey was made of the villages of the Ilica District, Erzurum Province, Turkey. The authors interviewed 130 people in 60 villages. The information so obtained was classified according to the use of plants for food, fuel, dye, and construction materials, as well as for miscellaneous uses. All in all, this study revealed 60 plant taxa that were useful to the villagers of this district.     

Short communication: Decolourization of Crystal Violet by fungi

Crystal Violet was decolourized by Coriolus versicolor, Funalia trogii, Laetiporus sulphureus and Phanerochaete chrysosporium ME446 by 92%, 82%, 86% and 62%, respectively, over 3 days.     

Chronic effects of cadmium on kidney,liver, testis,and fertility of male rats

Male Wistar rats (n:20), at 5 wk of age, were given cadmium in drinking water (10 mg/L water) for 52 wk; 8 males and 20 female rats, as controls, were given tap water. At the end of 28 and 40 wk, some of the cadmium-treated males and control group male rats were sacrificed for the histopathological examination of testis, kidney, and liver. At the end of 56 wk, histopathological examinations were performed in the same way. Liver, kidney, and testis cadmium levels were also determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. All the cadmium-treated male rats showed pathological testicular alterations, and liver and kidney damage after chronic exposure. Cadmium levels were found to be highest in the kidney (1.009 +/- 0.034 microgram/g wet tissue in the infertile group). At the end of the 52-wk period, reproductive capacity of the cadmium-treated rats was investigated and was found to be lost in 39.89% of the animals.     

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of (3′S)-3′-Deoxy-3′-Fluoro-3′-C-Ethynylcytidine

The novel pyrimidine nucleoside, (3 ′S)-3 ′-deoxy-3 ′-fluoro-3 ′-C-ethynylcytidine (1) was synthesized from cytidine in seven steps. The key step in the synthesis was the introduction of the tertiary fluorine at the 3 ′-position. Compound 1 was evaluated in vitro against several RNA viruses.     

Changes in patterns of alkaline serine protease and bacilysin formation caused by common effectors of sporulation inBacillus subtilis 168

Bacilysin biosynthesis and alkaline serine protease production inBacillus subtilis 168 were monitored and compared in batch cultures when various effectors of sporulation were added at different stages of growth in a medium containing sucrose and glutamate. Depending on the time of addition, glucose affected sporulation and serine protease formation to the same extent, but had no effect on bacilysin production. Ammonium andl-alanine additions suppressed all three processes. Casamino acids severely interfered with bacilysin formation and sporulation, but not with protease formation. Decoyinine, a well-known inducer of sporulation, induced protease formation as well, but did not affect bacilysin biosynthesis. The extent of the observed effects depended largely on the time of metabolite additions. The results are discussed with reference to a possible coregulation of sporulation and the formation of bacilysin and alkaline serine protease inB. subtilis.